This is the story of the second ship to bear the name HMS Cossack.

Originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles, the ship was sold to the Hamburg trading house of Henry Mersk & Co. when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, as Russia feared possible confiscation.

The original contract price for the vessel, then named Witjas (Cossack), was £46,198, including £16,750 for machinery. The Admiralty subsequently paid the contractors £9,591 to complete the contract (of which £4,187 was for machinery), plus £751 for tonnage exceeding the specification and £2,206 for modifications for His Majesty’s service. The ship remained in service until 1875.

Year by Year

Discover the history of the HMS Cossack from 1854 to 1875.

You can search the ‘year’ and ‘month’ to find a specific date and also ‘click’ on the date itself to reveal any images and moments from that date.

27 November 1870

Moored in Barachois, Maki. Loosed sails to dry. Performed Divine Service. In boom boats.

2330. Observed a brilliant meteor.

There has been so little water at our usual place of watering on account of the dryness of the season that we have been obliged to make own water. The weather has been very hot and close.

28 November 1870

Maki to Zanzibar.

Draft of water. Aft 17 feet 10 inches. Forward 16 feet 6inches.

9730 unmoored ship. Weighed starboard anchor and shortened in to two shackles on port cable.

0800 Lit fire under starboard boiler. Preparing for sea..

1045. Weighed and proceeded under steam.

Noon magnetic bearing Mamelle Rock NE ½ N. North Island NW. Exchanged Colours with an American whaler..

1600 SW end of Silhouette island..

1800 North Point Maki E ¾ S. North Island NE ¼ N. Course W by N ½ N. Set fore and a…

Maki to Zanzibar.

Draft of water. Aft 17 feet 10 inches. Forward 16 feet 6inches.

9730 unmoored ship. Weighed starboard anchor and shortened in to two shackles on port cable.

0800 Lit fire under starboard boiler. Preparing for sea..

1045. Weighed and proceeded under steam.

Noon magnetic bearing Mamelle Rock NE ½ N. North Island NW. Exchanged Colours with an American whaler..

1600 SW end of Silhouette island..

1800 North Point Maki E ¾ S. North Island NE ¼ N. Course W by N ½ N. Set fore and aft sails.

29 November 1870

Latitude 4.30S longitude 53.46E. Current S24W. Wind West force 1 to 2 becoming light airs. Barometer 30.08 inches. Maximum temperature 88F.  West 90 miles from Silhouette. Steaming under fore and aft sails.

0800. Course W ½ S

30 November 1870

Latitude  4.59S. Longitude 52.42E. Current S59W. Wind light airs. Barometer 20.06 inches. Under steam.

0900. Exercised firing at a target with shot and shell. Refitting main topsail.

1510. . set fore and aft sails save for Flying Jib. Condensing. Reduced speed to 40 revolutions.

01 December 1870

Latitude 5.34S. Longitude 49.56E. Current S 41E16. Under steam. Wind calm with broken cloud. Condensing . In fore and aft sail. Marines at drill. Altered course to west. Surveyed slops. Deviation by Amp. 1.30W.

02 December 1870

Latitude 5.41S Longitude 48.8E. Under steam. Calm and light airs. Steaming. Got chain cables on deck. Employed surveying the cables. Set head sails and Fore trysail.

2000. Longitude by Altair and Aldebran. 47.21E

03 December 1870

Latitude 5.9S. longitude 45.44E. Under steam. Light northerly wind becoming NW force 2. Made sail on foremost.

1410 Tom Lewis – crewman fell overboard. Stopped and let go of lifebuoy. Sent cutter away.

1430 Cutter returned with man. Up boat and proceeded. Main Plain sail save Royals. Stopped engines. Breeze sprung up from the north.

04 December 1870

Latitude 6.39. Longitude 40.35E. Under sail. Wind North force 3 to 4 becoming NW force 2 to 3. Set Topmast studding sail. Performed Divine Service.

1215. Altered course to W 1/2N. Wind steady at north force  2 to 3.

05 December 1870

Latitude 5.57S. Longitude 41.41E. under sail. Wind NNE 5 to 4 becoming N by E 4 to 5.

0200. Latitude by Capella 6.30S.  Repairing sails.

1240 Josiah Neville – tailor died.

1900. In top studding sail.

2140. Course NW by W ½ W. In top gallant sails

06 December 1870

Under steam and sail. Wind NE force 4 becoming ENE force 2. Barometer 29.98 inches to 30.08 inches. Maximum temperature 86F. Latitude  by Jupiter 6.40 Scourse to W by N ½ N. Latitude by Canopus 6.32S.

0404. Course W by S. A strong current setting to the north and west.

0545. Sighted land bearing between NW by W and NW. Wind falling to light. Lit fires under starboard boiler.

0600 Set Top gallant sails and altered course to WNW.

0700 Commenced steaming.

0720. Committed the  remains of the late…

Under steam and sail. Wind NE force 4 becoming ENE force 2. Barometer 29.98 inches to 30.08 inches. Maximum temperature 86F. Latitude  by Jupiter 6.40 Scourse to W by N ½ N. Latitude by Canopus 6.32S.

0404. Course W by S. A strong current setting to the north and west.

0545. Sighted land bearing between NW by W and NW. Wind falling to light. Lit fires under starboard boiler.

0600 Set Top gallant sails and altered course to WNW.

0700 Commenced steaming.

0720. Committed the  remains of the late Josiah Neville to the deep.

0735. Proceeded. Shortened sail and furled them.

0800. Cape Hizimkas (?)  9 miles.

0900. Exercised at General Quarters firing shot and shell at target.

1005. Proceeded. 100. Set headsails. Sailmakers making forecastle awning.

1300. Course north.

1710. Arrived of Zanzibar. Let go  on broken bottom in 9 ¾ fathoms and veered to 3 shackles. Saluted the Sultan with 21 guns which were returned by flagship. Anchorage bearing  Shangang Point S1/2 E – South end of Barry Island W by N ¼ N.

The Sultan (Burgath) who is at present on the throne has lately come to it by the death of his brother who was the Sultan here on our last visit but in very poor health. The new man seems to object to the treaties about the slave, but only after having been placed partly by the help of the Consuls and the public but has now taken a line for the present for himself

07 December 1870

Wind NNE force 2 becoming ENE force 2

08 December 1870

Wind ENE force 1. Barometer 30.15 inches to 30.03 inches. Maximum temperature  84F.

09 December 1870

Wind calm becoming ENE force 1 to 3

10 December 1870

Wind NNW force 3 becoming E by N force 1. Barometer steady

11 December 1870

Wind northerly force 3 becoming easterly force 1. Maximum temperature 87F.

12 December 1870

At anchor off Zanzibar. Wind Northerly force 1 to 2 becoming easterly force 3 to 4.

13 December 1870

Wind N by E force 2. Maximum temperature 81F

14 December 1870

Wind northerly force 2 veering to Easterly force 1

15 December 1870

Wind north easterly force 1 to 2 becoming calm

16 December 1870

Wind NNW force 1 becoming variable  force 1

Hidden Gems

The Island of Kotka was attacked in 1855, but the garrison had already departed: barracks, stores and magazines etc were destroyed and the squadron left, leaving COSSACK in charge of the Island.

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1806-1816

This is the account of the first vessel named HMS Cossack, a title that would be passed on to five later ships and commemorated by the Royal Navy in the Cossack Building at HMS Raleigh.

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1854-1875

The second Cossack was originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles. However, when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, Russia sold the vessels to the Hamburg trading firm Henry Mersk & Co.

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1886-1905

This account covers the third vessel named HMS Cossack. Launched on 3 June 1886 and in service until 1905, she spent the majority of her career in the Far East, calling at India, Aden, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and other ports.

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1907-1919

The fourth HMS Cossack received the first Battle Honour for participating in operations along the Belgian coast from 17 October to 8 November 1914. This section contains copies of the original construction contract and detailed plans showing her launch, deck arrangements, and machinery.

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1938-1941

Credited with battle honours including Baltic 1855, Witu 1890, Dover Patrol 1914–1919, Narvik 1940, Norway 1940, Atlantic 1940–1941, the Bismarck Action 1941, and the Malta Convoys 1941, the HMS Cossack in service from 1938 to 1941 was a formidable presence.

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1944-1960

During Warship Week in February 1942, the town of Esher raised £1,192,211, contributing to the construction of the warship HMS Cossack. The funds were collected by the public depositing money into a rubber-type float in a pool. Remarkably, the surplus was enough to fund a submarine as well. The story continues.

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